Web straps are often utilized in cargo control apparatus such as employed to position cargo within a truck body, cargo container, aircraft cargo compartment, or the like, and such cargo control webs are also employed with pallets and material handling racks to reinforce and support portions thereof.
Material handling racks or pallets utilizing vertically extending corner box posts interconnected by wire or the like employ web straps intermediate the corner posts to strengthen the material handling racks and prevent the corner posts from being outwardly displaced by the confined material. One of the popular fittings used with such material handling racks for attaching the web straps to the corner posts consists of an identical pair of stamped metal fittings each having a web receiving opening defined therein and each including a locking tab having a portion transversely disposed to the portion in which the web opening is defined. By placing such fittings in back-to-back relationship, and separately inserting the locking tabs within rectangular openings within the pallet corner posts, a pair of such fittings located within a web loop will firmly anchor the web to a corner whereby the web may be tensioned to produce the desired support and reinforcement function.
Fittings of this type presently available include an outer edge which is parallel to the fitting web receiving opening, and about which the web loop will often pass. When using cargo pallets and containers of the type using such fittings the containers may be loosely located within the cargo compartment, particularly when the pallets are empty, and the corner posts of adjacent pallets will impact against, and rub against, the fittings of adjacent pallet corner posts. This action often results in the web being crushed against its associated fitting outer edge causing the web to be severely worn, or partially severed, prematurely rendering the web end fitting assembly unusable, and requiring replacement.
It is an object of the invention to provide a fitting for use with web straps wherein means are defined upon the fitting to prevent the web from being crushed against an associated fitting surface, and whereby the web is protected against abrasion and wear due to contact with adjacent structure.
A further object of the invention is to provide a fitting for use with web straps wherein the fitting includes an outer edge and a lateral outer surface, and inexpensive means are homogeneously defined upon the fitting for protecting the web against being crushed against the outer edge or lateral outer side by adjacent structure.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fitting for webs which is of an economical construction, requires little additional material with respect to similar prior art devices, yet protects the associated web from being crushed or worn.
In the practice of the invention the web fitting includes a pair of identical planar bodies having an elongated web receiving opening defined therein. The bodies include locking tabs extending therefrom whereby the fitting may be anchored to a support member, and the bodies include an outer edge parallel to the length of the web receiving opening, and an outer surface.
Extensions are defined upon the fitting components adjacent the body end edges, and offset with respect to the web receiving opening, which extend beyond the fitting outer edge a distance sufficient to protect a web engaging said outer edge from being crushed by adjacent structure engaging the fitting. Further, the extensions are obliquely disposed with respect to the plane of the body in the direction of the outer side whereby the extensions also project from the outer side a distance at least equal to the thickness of the web and prevent crushing of the web against the fitting outer side.
In the practice of the invention little additional body material is required to achieve the desired purpose, and the invention can be practiced economically and with only slightly greater cost than similar fittings not utilizing the advantages of the invention.